“We urge U.S. citizens to defer non-essential travel to Syria at this time and U.S. citizens currently in Syria should consider leaving,” the State Department in a statement posted on its web site late Thursday.
The United States on Thursday advised its citizens to shun non-essential travel to Syria, and urged those already in Syria to consider leaving the country as soon as possible due to the violent un-rest in the Arab nation.
The State Department statement, too, advised all United States citizens currently in Syria “against all travel to the coastal city of Latakia as well as the southern city of Daraa and the surrounding towns and villages.”
“Demonstrations in those areas have been violently suppressed by Syrian security forces and there are reports of curtailed telecommunications, ongoing disturbances and live gunfire in various neighborhoods in the region,” per the statement warning.
“We remind U. S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence,” the statement continued. “U. S. citizens are urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations.”